1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for recording and playing back spoken reminder messages, and in particular to enabling play back on a user designated schedule.
2. Description of Related Art
An alarm can be built into an alarm clock, wrist watch or clock radio, to sound an alarm at a predetermined time. These arrangements are relatively limited in that usually only one alarm can be preprogrammed at a time and no information is given about the reason for the alarm. Furthermore, these arrangements are designed to trigger an alarm every day at the same time. Thus, these arrangements cannot be used to schedule an appointment several days in advance (e.g., schedule a doctor's appointment, luncheon date, business meeting, etc.).
A common way of scheduling an appointment is to mark a calendar. Known calendars have a grid representing each day of the month in a format large enough to allow one to mark an appointment in the grid cell representing the date of the appointment. Although these calendars are made relatively large, inadequate space exists for writing much detail about the appointment, especially when multiple appointments fall on the same date. Even when such a calendar is able to contain sufficient information about an appointment, a user must become disciplined into regularly examining the calendar in order to be reminded of scheduled appointments.
Since these appointment calendars can be relatively large they compete for wall space with other items such as a wall clock or decorative wall hangings.
Such calendars are often provided in a book style and are hung open with the calendar grid on one page and a decorative image on the facing page. These decorative images are chosen by the printer or manufacturer, but are not customized with images that are personally meaningful to the owner of the calendar. While customizing a calendar is always possible, the number of pictures a user can display for each month is limited and the time, trouble, and expense of customization will deter most.
A user can upload personally meaningful images to a computer and display them sequentially using presentation software. For example, a series of photographs of a family vacation can be displayed on a computer screen and the user can select the manner of image succession. Specifically, the user can select the exposure time for each image and how one picture transitions to another. For example, one image can simply abruptly replace another. Alternatively, one image can fade and be replaced by another that grows in size, detail, intensity, or contrast. In some cases, the current picture can “move” off screen, while another moves in to take its place. While a user can upload such personal images with effects for display on a computer, such images are often hidden behind other computer program windows that the user is working on.
The front door of residences are often fitted with a peephole to allow visual identification of visitors. If the visitor arrives when the resident is absent, limited options exist for leaving a message. The visitor may not be prepared to secure a written message to the door. Moreover, the absent resident may want to identify the missed visitor by appearance and voice characteristics.
In existing security systems a closed-circuit television camera can be mounted at a front door to identify a visitor, but are inconvenient for identifying missed visitors. Even if such systems record images of missed visitors, rewinding to the time of visitation can be very difficult, if in fact the occurrence of a visit is even known. Moreover, in residential applications the indoor monitor for the outdoor security camera occupies wall or shelf space and will compete for such space with other items such as the above-mentioned appointment calendar, wall clock, and decorative wall hangings, as well as other items such as home entertainment systems (televisions, etc.).
Conventional telephone answering machines are well adapted to record and conveniently play back the voice messages of missed callers.
See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,228,470; 4,302,752; 4,368,988; 5,555,536; 5,696,496; 5,708,627; 5,742,736; 6,438,221; 6,453,281; 6,678,215; and 6,720,980.